The One With No Power
by FriendsTvFiction
Summary: When Monica, Chandler, Jack and Erica are stuck in the middle of a big lightning storm, Chandler's little secret is revealed. Rated T for language.
1. Chapter 1

Chandler lay awake as the rain started. He turned to face a sleeping Monica. She looked so peaceful. He gently cupped a piece of hair out of her eyes as she snored softly. He heard the rain ger heavier. He sat up and smoothed his hair out, stretching a little. He jumped at a sudden boom of thunder. It had always been his weak spot, though he had never shown it in front of Monica, who was never bothered by storms. His two children though, hated lightning as much as him, and they weren't afraid to show it. He looked at the bedroom door.

_One..._

_Two..._

_Three._

The door slowly opened and two children crept in. Jack and Erica. They looked all guilty, probably because they knew that if they had been asleep in the first place, the lightning would never had woken them up. Chandler patted the bed and Jack made a bee-line for Monica. He climbed in next to her and snuggled close. Erica stood there, still worried. She looked so cute, her fair hair stuck up and she was clutching her teddy, who she had named Teddy since getting him when she was two. Jack had a twin bear, but he broke it, and was never bothered.

Chandler patted the bed again and Erica walked towards him, arms out. He picked the five year old up and hoisted her on the bed, where she snuggled him and fell asleep straight away. Chandler was a different story. He stayed awake and listened to the worst storm he had heard in years.

The next morning the storm was still going and the power was off. Jack and Erica had gotten used to the lightning by now and were having fun seeing life with no electricity. Monica was reading, and Chandler was sitting by the window like he always did when there was a storm. He didn't know why but sitting near the window made him feel safe, as to sitting anywhere else. He was still terrified of the storm but sat there, and no-one bothered him. That was until Monica looked up. She saw him sitting there and put her book down.

"Come sit," She said. Chandler didn't move. She stood up and walked up, putting her chin on his shoulder. She started snuggling up to him and then realised. "You're shaking!" She said. Chandler froze. "It's cold!" He protested. She looked at him. "Chandler, it's like 100 degrees in here!" She said. Chandler looked at her. Suddenly she stopped and smiled. "Oh... I see what's going on." She nodded, smiling. "What? What?" Chandler asked frantically. Monica moved back to the sofa. "You're scared of the thunder storm," She giggled. Chandler shook his head. "No. No I'm not scared of a little storm. It's the kids that are scared." He said. "It's not scary Daddy," Erica said. "It's really cool," Jack told him. He sighed. "If you're not scared come sit next to me." Monica said. "I like it over here." Chandler said firmly. "Kids, Daddy's scared of a little thunder." Monica told the twins and they giggled. "Fine," Chandler said, getting up and moving over to where Monica sat. He slumped next to her and tried to relax. There hadn't been thunder or lightning for about 5 minuets, just rain. This thought relaxed him and he slumped down next to Monica. She kissed his head and he smiled as he had proved himself right, she thought he wasn't scared. Erica and Jack chattered happily. Monica sighed and reached for Chandler's hand. He held her hand and she smiled at him. Suddenly a huge boom was heard and Chandler jumped. "See, you're scared!" Monica said, grinning.

"No, I'm not." Chandler said.

"Chandler, you're almost breaking my hand," She said. He let her hand go and realised just how hard he had held it. She cupped his face.

"It's okay to be scared." She told him.

"I'm NOT." He insisted.

"Whatever." She grinned.


	2. Chapter 2

Three days, and the storm was still going. Chandler woke up every morning and sat by the window. For three days the electricity had been on and off, and right now it was off. The kids had been enjoying every second of no school, and they were growing quite fond of the thunder. Chandler still hated it, and he sat by the window at all times.

It was a few hours later when the lightning picked up, and the rain got heavier. Chandler had never saw rain like it. Lightning was coming every few seconds, and Chandler got more and more panicked. He was hoping Monica wouldn't notice, and she didn't. Neither did Jack. Erica suddenly looked up from what her and Jack were doing, which was drawing with torches as a light. She put her crayon down and crept towards Chandler, grabbing his arm when she reached him.  
"Shit!" He cursed as the little girl grabbed his arm. Erica raised her eyebrow.  
"That's a swear," She told him.  
"I know. You scared me." He said.  
"I know." She grinned.  
"Haha. Funny." Chandler said, sarcastically. Erica jumped up next to him on the window sill. She looked out and saw what Chandler had been looking at for 3 days. She sighed and leant her head agaisnt the window. She watched as the sky lit up.  
"Mommy is worried about you," She told him. Chandler looked at her.  
"Is she?" He asked. Erica nodded and pointed at Monica, who was reading a book. As Chandler looked closer he saw she wasn't reading at all, she was just looking down at her lap and biting her nails. Chandler looked at Erica. "She talked to you about that?" Erica nodded.  
"Yeah, she said that she knew you were afraid but she told us that we aren't aloud to make fun of you," Erica told him. Chandler looked down and smiled. She really cared. He stood up and picked up Erica.  
"Okay, you two, off to bed." He said, putting Erica down as he kissed her head. Jack ran off too after he had hugged Chandler and Monica. Chandler closed the curtians and sat down next to Monica. She still stared at her lap. He toom the book from her and she looked up.  
"Hey, I was reading that!" She protested.  
"Liar." He said.  
"You can talk," She muttered.  
"I know I can. I learnt to speak at a very young age," He quipped.  
"Seriously? I used to use that when I was four," She said. Chandler smiled.  
"I talked to Erica," He told her.  
"About what?" Monica asked, pretending she didn't know.  
"I think you know." He said. She reached over and took his hand.  
"I don't like the thunder either y'know." She said. Chandler looked at her. "I just do something that will take my mind off it," She said. Chandler suddenly had a bright idea.  
"I have something that would take your mind off it." He said, winking.  
"Chandler!" She laughed.  
"What? The kids are in bed," He protested. She smiled. He smiled back and leant in for a kiss. She kissed him back happily, and then he pushed her on her back.  
"On the couch? What, are we animals?" She asked.  
Chandler grinned before answering.  
"Yeah!" and kissing her again.

* * *

It was later that night they snuck back upstairs into their room. Monica climbed in bed, while Chandler shut the window and climbed in after him. They fell asleep with thier arms wrapped around eachother.


	3. Chapter 3

Erica stood in Chandler's normal place, while Jack sat and played with his toy cars. Monica looked at Erica sitting next to the window and looked at Chandler.  
"If she's picked up your weirdo lightning fear, I'll kill you," Monica told him and Chandler smiled.  
"Can you believe the lightning storm is still going?" He asked.  
"It's not really a lightning storm anymore, which is good because I get my Chandler back," Monica said, kissing his cheek. Chandler smiled at her. Just rain. That sounded relaxing.  
"Just rain, huh? That's much better." Chandler smiled.  
"Yeah, more chance of a devastating flood than anything else," Jack piped up. Monica looked at Chandler, who had a look of panic on his face.  
"Jack, shut up, you're not helping." Monica said.  
"I didn't come down to help, I came down to play with my toys," Jack said. Erica laughed at this comment, only a look from Monica shutting her up. Chandler still felt panicked, and he felt someone grab his hand. Monica. She was here. He relaxed straight away. She was here.  
Suddenly, the lights came on. Erica smiled and turned the tv on straight away. She turned it to the news channel, which not surprisingly was down. Suddenly a story came onto the screen. A man had been hit by lightning in the street. He had died straight away. Monica stopped. Lightning? What a horrible way to die. She was nearly in tears when she noticed Chandler was breathing funny. She looked at him and he didn't look right.  
"Chandler?" She asked.  
"I think I'm having a panic attack," He told her.  
"Why?!" She asked.  
"Well I don't know!" Chandler said. Erica looked alarmed.  
"Daddy?" She asked. Chandler didn't even answer her.  
"Kids go upstairs for a second. " Monica said. The twins stood up and left on command, knowing Monica's tone was not to be questioned. As soon as they left Monica turned to Chandler. "How do you feel sweetie?" She asked. He just shook his head. "Okay, try to calm down." She said. She noticed upon saying this that it was such an obvious thing to say, and she knew that if Chandler was okay he would have said something stupid, along the lines of  
Wow, calming down. I never thought of that.

So he was in trouble.

She rubbed his back comfortingly, encouraging him to slow his breathing down. She took his hands, still rubbing his back. She had no idea how to calm him down. Why was he even panicking?  
"You're okay sweetie, I'm here." She said, patting him on the back. She noticed he calmed down a bit. "I'm not leaving, you're okay." She told him, and noticed him calm down completely. He relaxed in her arms and she relaxed too, he was okay.  
"What the hell just happened?" He asked, sounding tired.  
"You tell me. What made you panic?" She asked.  
"I don't know. I think it was that man, being hit by lightning? I couldn't stop thinking that could have been anyone. It could have been you, me, Ross, Rachel, anyone. Poor guy," Chandler said. Monica sighed.  
"We're staying inside, and we're not leaving. We're okay, we got food 2 days ago when the rain stopped for a few hours, we'll be fine. Don't scare me like that again, okay?" She asked. Chandler nodded.  
"Sorry." He muttered.  
"It's not your fault!" She said, and Chandler kissed her.  
"Kids!" Chandler shouted, and Erica and Jack appeared around the door. Chandler put his arms out and they ran towards him, hugging him tightly.  
"What happened?" Jack asked.  
"Panic attack," Chandler told them. Jack looked at Erica who was sucking her thumb. Chandler reached over and took her thumb out of her mouth. "Don't start that again," He told her. "Okay, bed." He said. The kids hugged him again and went upstairs to their bedroom. Chandler took Monica by the hand and lead her upstairs to their room. He got one his old t-shirts and some shorts out and got changed. He saw Monica sitting on their bed, she was staring at nothing. "You okay?" He asked.  
"What? Yeah I'm fine. I'm just cold." She said. Chandler got another one of his shirts from the drawer and threw it to her. She put it over her shirt and cuddled her self. He sat on the bed, and pulled her over. He kissed her head.  
"Tell me what's up?" He asked. Monica shook her head and rolled over away from him, not bundled up in his arms like she normally was.

Something was wrong.

* * *

The next morning Chandler rolled over to an empty space. He sat up and blinked in the light. Where was Monica? He moved out of bed and walked to the bedroom door, opening it. She was in the bathroom. He was about to turn around when he heard coughing. Loud coughing. He ran to the bathroom door and tried to open it but it was locked. He banged on the door.  
"Mon? You okay?" He asked, panic in his voice.  
"I'm fine," He heard her say. After a couple of minuets he heard the door open, and she came out and fell into his arms. He hugged her back.

What the hell was going on?


End file.
